Sign and method of producing the same



Nov. 7, 1933. R. N. CHUBB 1,933,657

SIGN AND METHOD OF PRODUGING THE SAME Filed Nov. 5. 1932 0 @ooo o /0 o@ OO o 0 0 o o 2 *U2 0000000 O Q O @C GO G O QO o @OO/Q /0 E? A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,933,657 SIGN AND METHOD F PRODUCING f THE SAME Rowland N. Chubb, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 5, 1932. serial N0.,641,4o g

6 Claims.

This invention has for its object the improvement of the device disclosed in my Patent No. 1,755,315, dated April 22, 1930, in which solidbodied glass members are disposed and more or curely and permanently within the perforations of the face-plate.

By my improved method, I am able to provide a product which is capable of withstanding all degrees of temperature and all chemical conditions to which it may be subjected when employed for its intended purposes, and of withstanding wear, tear and vibrations of every description. ABeing substantially unaffected by both'physical and chemical conditions, it is not only practically indestructible when used in any legitimate manner, butit retains its pristine beautyand brilliance indefinitely. Moreover, it is easily and economically produced.

In the following specification and in theV accompanying drawing, I shall disclose the invention in its relation to signs, and particularly to illuminated signs, although it is obvious that it is not restricted thereto, but is capable of employment to give ornamental effects in the production of articles of various kinds, as will more clearly appear hereinafter.

` In an illuminated sign, suchas is disclosed in my before-mentioned patent, a perforated face plate is employed, the usual practice being to arrange the perforations lrelatively close together and in such order as to outline the character, symbol, emblem, pictorialV device or any design which is to be displayed. This face plate is coated with enamel onboth of its faces. Then the Vglass elements, of any color vor any variety of colors, are placed within the perforations and are retained therein by some' suitable means. This invention relates specifically to the means for and method of retaining these elements.

In my improved sign, I employ a perforated face-plate of any suitable material, but preferably of sheet metaLand the same is coated on both of its sides with a suitable vitreous enamel.

I then place the glass elements in the perforations, as before; but, instead of securing them in place by any old method, as by mechanical means I simply place the plate, with the elements positioned thereon, in a suitable oven or furnace and apply heat until a temperature is reached which results in an incipient fusion of some or all of the component parts where they are in contact. This result having been `attained, the face-plate is removed from the oven, or theheat is'cut oif; and, upon cooling, all the parts are as rigidly attached as if they had been cast together in a mold. In some cases vit may be desirable to apply some suitable Vfluxto the enameled face-plate, one effect of which would be to bring about thev incipient fusion at a lower temperature.v AAdvantages of my invention, other thanthose above referred to, will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates two specific forms of my invention, Figl 1 is a side elevation lshowing a fragment of the perforated face-plate of a sign; Fig. 2 is a crosssection, on an enlarged scale, through the faceplate, as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the enamel coatings and indicating some of the enamel Within the perforation; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the glass element in the position -it occupies before heat is applied, the element being shown in elevation and as having a diameter that is slightly greater than that of the perforation; Fig.'4 is a View like Fig. 3 vbut showing the positions of the parts after heating; Fig. 5 is a view like Fig..4 except that it is on a larger scale and shows the elementin section; Fig. 6 is aview, similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified structure produced by' a modified method; Fig. 6A is a View showing a portion of Fig. 6 on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of a sign embodying my invention and having a source of illumination therein. L

Referring to the drawing, 10 represents the metal face-plate in which perforations 11 are' so positionedas to form the desired plate is coated on both of its sides `with a suitable vitreous enamel 12'. In applying these coat-- ings, the enamel enters the perforations to a slight extent, as indicated in Fig. 2, so thatthe openings through the coatings are of slightly design. This less diameter than the perforation .in the metal. 100

The elements, indicated at 13, are usually of transparent material and are preferably glass beads or spheres. These may be, and usually are, vari-colored, which enhances the ornamental effect. When the object to be represented is in 105 various colors, the elements used will be of corresponding colors,-as will be understood. If a .solid background in color is desired, the plate will be perforated throughout all the area of the background, and elements having the ap- 110 propriate color will be used therein, The sizes of the perforations and elements will be varied according to the nature of the design to be shown. For example, if the design is large and mono-chromatic, the elements may be relatively large; Whereas, if it be multi-chromatic, as a bouquet of variously colored flowers, the elements will be relatively small.

The elements are, by preference, slightly larger than their respective perforations so that they will not quite pass through them; and, in my preferred form, when they are rst placed on the face-plate, as in Fig. 3, they rest on the enamel, the opening in which is somewhat smaller than the perforation. With all the elements positioned as in Fig. 3, the face-plate, with the elements on iis upper surface, is placed within an oven or furnace and the temperature is raised to a White heat, thereby causing the glass ofthe elements and the enamel to soften and to undergo an incipient fusion, ,with the result that the elements settle down and become slightlydistorted as they enter farther and farther into the perforations, as shown in Fig. 4. If left too longy in the intense heat, the elements will` drop through the plate. Care is to be taken, therefore, to remove the plate from the oven or furnace or to cut off the heat when the elements have reached a substantiallyr mid-position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Elements having sizes which are equal to or even slightly less than the Fig. 2 Vwhere the enamel is lacquer on the lacquer of the decorative coating at the perforaperforations may be .used if theyY rest on the enamel, as in Fig. 3, andif sufficient care be taken not to allow them to pass into the perforations beyond the mid-position.` However, I premore firmly secured and require lessv carein heating. j

As the partially molten glass and enamel cool they coalesce and form a unitary body which completely envelopes and hermetically enseals the plate, thus -protecting it from the air and from all deleterious fumes and substances. Fig.

5, which is a section through vone of the elements, shows how the enamel and glass of the elements coalesce and envelop the plate. As has been stated, a suitable flux may be used, if desired, to lower the temperature at which incipient fusion takes place.

In Figs. 6 and 6A, I have shown a modified strucure in which 10A represents the perforated plate, 14 a decorative coat of colored lacquer or the like and 13A the element. In this structure the perforation is preferably of slightly greater diameter at one side of the plate than it is at the other which results in a tapered wall about the perforation, as indicated at 15in Figs. 6 and 6A. The element is somewhat largery than the perforation at its-smallest part so that it rests in approximately mid-position, as shown.

In making up the structure shown in Figs. 6 and 6A, I first apply what Il shall term a decorative coating 14 composed of a suitable lacquer or the like having the desired color or colors. This coating not only covers the exterior surfaces oi the plate, but enters slightly into the perforations in a manner similar to that shown in shown as slightly entering the perforations. I then dip the elements which areto be used in a clear or substantially transparent lacquer or -cement and place them in their respective perforations. The elements contacts with the tions, softens it, and actually coalesces with it.

The elements are then pressed into their perforations to approximately their mid-positions. To hold the elements more securely in position, I then apply on both sides of the plate in any suitable manner, as by spraying, a coating 16 of the clear and substantially transparent lacquer, said coating covering not only the decorative coating but also the elements as shown. Since the coating 16 is transparent, it will not interfere with the transmission of light nor will it dim the brilliance of the elements.

The coating 16 is shown greatly exaggerated in thickness as it is a mere iilzn, particularly over vthe elements; but it fills in all interstices about the latter and compleely enseals the plate and the elements and thus holds the latter in place and also protects the plate from the air and other harmful agents. In this form of my invention, no heat is necessary in fixing the elements in position. In both forms, however, the plate is protected by an ensealing coating. It is this vcoalescence of the cement coatingi 16 with the decorative coating 14 and its adherence to the elements which cause the` elements to be retained in position. This'isbelieved to be a new means for holding the elements in a faceplate.

It will be understoodthatvv the sign may be so used that `the design appears by reflected light only. In such acase, the many colored elements give very pleasing effects, whether used in connection with a sign or for ornamentation of other devices. But greater'brillianceis secured when the light-is transmitted through the colored elements In Fig. 7, I have shownl a portion ofa fer to use the larger elements, since they become sign in which a light emittingsource, as an electric bulb 17, is placed at the rear ofthe faceplate 10 so that the light passes through the elements 13, as will be understood.

,While I have shown and described certain de-y tailsof structure and method, it is realized that thesedetails are susceptible of variation without departure from the spiritof my invention, and I desire it to be understood that the following claims are not intended to belimited to such details any farther than is necessitated bythe specific terms therein employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sign or the like comprising a face plate havingV a plurality of perforations therein, the walls of the perforations being tapered inwardly from the front to the rear'of the face plate, a decorative coating of lacquer covering the front side of said plate and extending to the perforations therein, vitreous elements Within said perfo-i rations, said elementsbeing slightly larger than their respective perforations at the rear side of the plate, and a coating of'transparent lacquer covering the said elements at the front of said plate, coalescing with the said decorative coating and serving to hold the elements in position.

.2. A sign orthe like comprising a face plate having a plurality of perforations therein, a coating of lacquer on each sideof the plate and extending to the said perforations', lacquered beads within the said perforations, the lacquer ofthe beads being coalesced with the lacquer coatings and anouter coating of lacquer covering the outer surfaces of the beads and extending over the lacquer coatings on the sides of the plate, said in, said perforations being smaller at the rear side of the plate than at the front side, a decorative coating of lacquer covering both sides of the plate and extending to the perorations therein, spherical glass beads in said perforations, said beads being slightly larger than the perforations at the rear side of the plate and resting upon the restricted Walls of their respective perforations, an outer coating of transparent lacquer covering those parts of the beads which project beyond the plate, overlapping and coalescing with the decorative coating and holding the beads in place, and a source of illumination at the rear of the face plate.

4. The method of producing a sign or the like which comprises providing a face plate with a plurality of perforations, applying a coating of decorative lacquer to the front face of said plate, placing a glass element in each of said perforations and applying an outer coating of transparent lacquer, said outer coating covering the projecting portions of said beads, coalescing with the lacquer of the decorative coating and holding the beads in position.

5. The method of producing a sign or the like which comprises providing a face plate with a plurality of perforations coating both sides of the plate with lacquer, immersing glass beads in transparent lacquer and placing them While Wet with the lacquer in the respective perforations thereby causing the lacquer thereon to coalesce with the lacquer of the decorative coatings, permitting the lacquer to dry, and then applying an outer coating of transparent lacquer over the plate and over the beads, whereby the said outer-coating coalesces with the lacquer on the beads and on the plate and thus secures the beads in position.

6. The method of producing a sign or the like which comprises lznrovidingy a face plate with a plurality of circular perforations which taper in-Y Wardly from the front to the rear side of the plate, applying a coating of lacquer to both sides of said plate with the lacquer extending to the perforations therein, immersing glass beads in transparent lacquer, pressing said beads While Wet With 

